Hays County Commissioners Court Proclaims Flood Awareness Week

The county suffered major flooding events in 1998, 2001, 2002, 2013 and 2015, and received a federal disaster declaration for each one.

Hays County Courthouse, San Marcos, TX – The Hays County Commissioners Court on Tuesday noted that the last week of May is the three-year anniversary of the Memorial Weekend floods and proclaimed May 21-25 as Flood Awareness Week.

Hays County Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator Justin McInnis told the Court that extreme growth in Hays County – one of the fastest-growing counties in the country – and the county’s location in “Flash Flood Alley” worry Hays County emergency managers and first responders.

The county suffered major flooding events in 1998, 2001, 2002, 2013 and 2015, and received a federal disaster declaration for each one.

McInnis urged citizens to take flash-flood preparedness classes such as Skywarn^® through the National Weather Service and CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training taught by Hays County Emergency Preparedness staff.

He reminded residents to sign up for Code Red warnings at www.warncentraltexas.org to get timely emergency warnings based on your geographic location, and to check www.HaysInformed.com for countywide emergency information.

The HaysInformed site also includes Hays County’s Flood Warning System which shows floodplain maps, low water crossing closures, pertinent stream data and preparedness information. Homeowners and renters should also consider Flood insurance.

Precinct 4 Commissioner Ray Whisenant said he also recommends having a NOAA weather radio to get early warnings of weather situations in addition to signing up for notifications. “NOAA weather radios are relatively inexpensive and have a battery backup,” Whisenant said. “I often get my earliest notification from mine, and they’re readily available at many stores and online.”

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Left to right, Precinct 2 Commissioner Mark Jones, Precinct 1 Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe, Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator Justin McInnis, Precinct 3 Commissioner Lon Shell, and Precinct 4 Commissioner Ray Whisenant encouraged residents and visitors to be aware of the dangers of flash flooding and to take advantage of receiving warning information by signing up at www.warncentraltexas.org.